Japan: My Neighbor Totoro

On Monday I got nine postcards: five from Japan, one from the Czech Republic and three from Belgium.

One of the cards from Japan shows a scene from My Neighbor Totoro. My Neighbor Totoro is an animated movie produced by Studio Ghibli. It tells the story of the sisters Satsuki and Mei and their interactions with friendly wood spirits. It was released in 1988.

Stamps:
Fairy Tales (from set of three) (issued 29-07-1974)
Sanrio Characters (from set of twenty) (issued 21-08-2015)

Thank You very much Mitsuko!

Belgium: Last Post Ceremony in Ypres

On Monday I got nine postcards: three from Belgium, five from Japan and one from the Czech Rpublic.

One of the cards from Belgium shows the Last Post Ceremony in Ypres. The Last Post Post Ceremony is held every evening since 1928 at the Menin Gate. It commemorates the fallen soldiers of World War I.

With related stamp:
Centenary of World War I (from set of five) (issued 13-06-2016)
The Battle of Tabora was fought in September 1916 between forces from the Belgian Congo and German East Africa. During the battle the Belgian forces conquered Tabora, Kigoma and the Tanganjikabahn railway.

Thank You very much Gerda!

Belgium: In Flanders Fields

On Monday I got nine postcards: three from Belgium, five from Japan and one from the Czech Rpublic.

One of the cards from Belgium shows the poem In Flanders Fields. In Flanders Fields is a war poem written on 3rd May 1915 by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae from Canada. He wrote the poem after his friend was killed during the Second Battle of Ypres. It is one of the most popular and most quoted poems about World War I.

With related stamp:
Centenary of World War I (from set of five) (issued 13-06-2016)
After Belgium was occupied by the German Empire in 1914, the Belgian newspaper were censored or disappeared. But still some newspapers from Entente countries were smuggled into the country and also clandestine newspapers started to appear short after the occupation. At the beginning the clandestine newspapers just reproduced news from other countries, but from 1915 onwards specific Belgian newspapers were published in the underground.

Thank You very much Gerda!

Belgium: St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen

On Monday I got nine postcards: three from Belgium, five from Japan and one from the Czech Rpublic.

One of the cards from Belgium shows the St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen. The tower of the St. Rumbold's Tower is as one of the Belfries of Belgium on the UNESCO World Heritage List and is known for its incompleteness. In 1985 the cathedral was visited by Pope John Paul II. 

Stamp:
Centenary of World War I (from set of five) (issued 13-06-2016)
In October 1916 the German Empire started to deport Belgian civilians. Until the deportations were stopped in February 1917 60000 persons were transported to be forced to labour.

Thank You very much Gerda!

Czech Republic: Prague

On Monday I got nine postcards: one from the Czech Republic, three from Belgium and five from Japan.

The card from the Czech Republic shows Prague. Prague was until 1992 the capital of Czechoslovakia and is today the capital of the Czech Republic. It is also the largest city of its country and the 14th largest of the European Union. Furthermore it is one of the most visited cities in Europe and has the lowest unemployment rate in the European Union. 

Stamp:
Folk architecture (issued 23-02-2011)

Thank You very much Lilly and Jan!

cover from Germany

On Monday I got not only nine postcards but also a cover from Germany.

Stamp:

Balls - Football (from set of three) (issued 02-05-2016)

with a special postmark about the first game of the UEFA EURO 2016

France: Calais

On Friday I got a postcard from France.

It shows various views of Calais. Calais is a city in northern France. It is an important ferry port and is located near the Channel Tunnel. During World War I it was a key port for the supply of the Western Front.

Stamp:
New Marianne 0,10€
Centenary of the Battle of Verdun (issued 30-05-2016)
The Battle of Verdun was one of the most important battles of World War I at the Western Front. The battle took place from February to December 1916 and was fought between the French and the German armies. The German Empire attacked Verdun not because of its strategic value but because of its symbolic power for the French nation. The battle ended without a big shift of the front. The Battle of Verdun was the first attrition warfare in World War I.

Thank You very much William!

France: Le Havre

On Thursday I got a postcard from France.

It shows an aerial view of Le Havre. Le Havre is a city in the Normandy. It was occupied by German forces during World War II and became a part of the Atlantic Wall. In 1944 the city was nearly completely destroyed by bombings of the British Royal Air Force. Between 1945 and 1964 it was rebuilt by a team of architects headed by Auguste Perret, who had chosen concrete as main material for the reconstruction. The city is considered to be an exceptional example of architecture and town planning of the era after World War II. Today is Le Havre the largest commune of the Upper Normandy and has the second largest port of France. The rebuilt parts of Le Havre are since 2005 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
New Marianne Europe

Thank You very much Claas and Christine!

Slovenia: Praetorian Palace in Koper

On Wednesday I got five postcards: one from Slovenia, one from Germany, one from Madeira, one from South Korea and one from China.

The card from Slovenia shows the Praetorian Palace in Koper. Koper is located on Slovenia's coastline, which is only 47km long. The port of Koper is the most important of the country.

With great stamps:
100 years Russian Chapel below Vršič (issued 27-05-2016)
It is a joint issue with Russia.
During World War I approximately 12000 Russians were transported by the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the Vršič pass as Prisoners of War. Their task was the building of a road over the pass so that the reaching of the new front line in the Isonzo Valley would become easier. The new front line developed after Italy declared the war on the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1915. Several thousand young Russian prisoners died building this road. The prisoners also built the wooden Russian Chapel below Vršič.
25 years of Slovenia's Independence (issued 27-05-2016)
Birds of Slovenia (from set of five) (issued 29-05-2015)

Thank You very much Mateja!

China: Shanghai Disney Resort

On Wednesday I got five postcards: one from China, one from Slovenia, one from Germany, one from Madeira and one from South Korea.

The card from China is from the Shanghai Disney Resort. The Shanghai Disney Resort was opened on 16th June 2016 and is the first Disney park resort in mainland China.

The card is prepaid and was added with two other stamps:
Disney (issued 20-06-2015)
The Scholars (from set of six) (issued 21-03-2011)

Thank You very much Xinmeng!

South Korea: Bridge of No Return

On Wednesday I got five postcards: one from South Korea, one from China, one from Slovenia, one from Germany and one from Madeira.

The card from South Korea shows the Bridge of No Return. The Bridge of No Return is located in the Joint Security Area in the Korean Demilitarized Zone. It crosses the border between North and South Korea and was used for prisoner exchanges. 

With a nice stamp:
World Conservation Congress Jeju 2012 (issued 06-09-2012)
Crinum asiaticum (issued 03-02-2006)
Amur Grape (issued 10-09-2001)

Thank You very much Henna!

Madeira: Pico do Arieiro

On Wednesday I got five postcards: one from Madeira, one from South Korea, one from China, one from Slovenia and one from Germany.

The card from Madeira shows the Pico do Arieiro. The Pico do Arieiro is the third highest peak of Madeira and a popular tourist attraction.

Stamp:
50 years Botanical Garden (from set of four) (issued 30-04-2010)

Thank You very much Elena!

Germany: Föhr

On Wednesday I got five postcards: one from Germany, one from Madeira, one from South Korea, one from China and one from Slovenia.

The card from Germany shows a beach on Föhr. Föhr is an island in the North Sea. It is one of the North Frisian Islands and the second-largest North Sea island of Germany. It is also the largest German island without land connection.

Stamp:
Chiemsee (from set of two) (issued 01-07-2015)

Thank You very much Mariel!

cover from Japan

On Wednesday I got not only five postcards but also a cover from Japan.

With great stamps:

Doraemon (two from set of twenty) (issued 01-07-2016)

with two different First Day Special Postmarks

Thank You very much Keiko!